Things to do in Israel this week

Discover the very best things to do over the next seven days, from cultural events to live music and more

Thought you’d sneak in a relaxing week? Well, think again. Israel’s got loads of culture-packed activities this week, and we’ve rounded up the best of the best. From new art exhibitions and restaurant openings, to the hottest musicians both visiting and local and secret speakeasies off the beaten path, you’ll be crawling to work come Sunday. See how many things to do in Israel over the next seven days you can check off your bucket list. After all, YOIO — “you only Israel once.”

From the most successful films of 2017-2018 to four of the best french classics, the diverse program showcases an intriguing array of films that ponder the history of social culture and the complexity of the human race.

Don Carlo takes a classic character – in this case, Carlos, Prince of Asturias – and follows the historical events of his life which seem to be steeped in simplicity, yet become more and more complicated with time. Carlos was to marry Elizabeth of Valois, yet she was wed to his father instead, offering a wealth of dramatic tension between father and son for this opera.

Using inspiration from the Dutch masters such as Rembrandt and Van Gogh, and mixed media including oil paints, acrylic acid, and different types, Van den Bug creates a beautiful and inspiring new take on painting and portraiture. While serving as the Dutch royal family’s official portrait painter, he conducts complex chemical procedures to create vibrant large-scale portraits, earning his name “the Alchemist.” Amsterdam-based Piet van den Boog’s work is displayed in prominent museums across the world. Explore his unique and enticing style of portraiture at his solo exhibition in Tel Aviv.

Straying from the more conventional inclination to portray pieces in a chronological series or along a specific theme, this exhibit asks viewers to rely on their own observations and form their own associations. Throughout this creative approach, the drawings have unpredictable juxtapositions and link together in unique ways. You’re invited to draw in close to the drawings and back up to absorb the pieces under different contexts, experimenting with your perception as you continue yielding new observations.